In the past few years, big-name chefs have become increasingly nomadic, popping in to far-flung restaurant kitchens for special occasions. The idea is to expose local diners to the broader culinary world.

That visiting-chef concept, however, has long been at the heart of the four-day New York City Wine & Food Festival, which kicks off Thursday. The festival this year features some of the most prominent names in fine dining, hailing from California to Catalonia, who will be hosting a series of 21 dinners. Meal prices range from $250 to $300.

The lineup is the eight-year-old festival’s most ambitious yet, and the dinners are intended to be collaborative efforts between visiting talent and chefs with restaurants in New York City.